A conventional display apparatus includes a transmissive liquid crystal display; light source means for illuminating the transmissive liquid crystal display from the rear side; a diffusion sheet disposed in the rear of the transmissive liquid crystal display, diffusing light from the light source means; and a holder for holding these components. The diffusion sheet not only diffuses the light from the light source means, but also has a predetermined pattern formed on it and is secured to the holder with a certain space between itself and the transmissive liquid crystal display so that the pattern can be viewed through the transmissive liquid crystal display. The conventional display apparatus is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-340060.
The pattern on the diffusion sheet thereby overlaps with a display image on the liquid crystal display screen and is visible in the background thereof, which aims at enhancing visual effects such as, for example, a sense of depth and a three-dimensional floating effect.
In such a conventional display apparatus, however, since a single flat diffusion sheet or only a single layer is disposed in the rear of a transmissive liquid crystal display, the background of a display Image on the liquid crystal display screen looks two-dimensional. Accordingly, a problem with the conventional display apparatus is that it lacks stereoscopic visual effects.